The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1887-11-04
JOHNS COUNTRY CUSTOMER.

VNA<%' Wv ~ - - 80 -%@N-
' John Harvey had been a clerk in a
country store in Vermont since he Was
fifteen years old, and he was now over
twenty. He had been reared and edu-
Gated by his mother, who was no longer
very young when John was born, and
consequently entered upon the intirmi-
ties of old age when her boy had arrived
at the age of manhood. Her husband
was long since dead
John WAS n handsome country lad,
active, obliging and courteous. These
qualities attracted the attention of 4 New
York merchant who was spending a sum
mer month in Vermont, and hc offered
him situation in his store.
Although Johns mother knew how
more than lonely she would be without
her boy, she felt how valuable this change
would prove to him, and gave her consent
TO ms going.
II know nv boy will not forget his
mother she said. "And one thing, my
child, let mo impress upon YOU. You
will be surrOupded by giddy fellow
clerks, many who will look with con-
tempt ON tho humbly-clad people who
come TO buy, and only serve them with
rcluctance-perhaPs rudcncss. Never
forget your mother and that the humblcst
woman may be somebody's dear old
mother. And remember, too, what YOU
have read in the school reader, that 'ap-
pcaranccs are often deceiving and that
a well-filied purse may lie III the pocket
Of q rusty coat"
That was the mother advice, and it
turned out that John needed it.
The great iron dry goods shop in Broad
way, with its white facade and its count
er- inside heaped high with maryclousIy
h-artt1frl fab u-aS In1na1 q ..har,,,a -,
John, and the richly and astonishinglv
dressed women III great contrast To the
country DANES IN sunbpnnrts and gin.s-
ham GOWNS that he had been accustomed
To serve.
But now and then came customers
from the country thcr,. was no miStak-
ing them. Their dresses had a home
made look, and their bonnets utterly
lacked the peculiar audaCity of city hats
They preferred their requests in a timid
way, aS ii feeling lost and strange and
uncertain il they had any right in so
grand a store. The clerks snubbcI them
or were InSolent. But 10 John the country
laceS were always pleasant and he was
invariably 80 npticeably kind To- rural
customers that his counter very soon he
came the centre OF country custom. His
fellow clerks would cry ont when there
was IN appearance OF country cousins -
''. -DN'r A4%AA -
But one day the country women missed
the very obli,ing clerk, and upon inquiry
were told that he had been transferred To
the cloak department. Very well one
old lady who had Il young girl with her
SAID she wanted to buy 4 cloak
30 upstairs they went-a quaint-look-
ing pair that set the clerks in giggle, and
they slyly winked as they sent around
the password: "Haryey's friends"
Good luck to you, Harvey" laughed
one. "NOw's your chance 10 get rid OF
those last year beaver sacques Maybe
they will 80 As high as ten dollars"
But if the old lady and her niece had
been dowaser and princess, they could
not have been more courteously treated
than they were by John.
"She's somebody's dear old mother, I'll
warrant, he said 10 himself, and then in
pleasant manner he asked the old lady
what she would like to See.
Velvet cloaks, she replied.
John took from the hooks of the ward
robes cloaks varying in price from fifty
to three hundred dollars The clerks
kept up their fun At Johns expense, but
hc did not care.
After considerable delay in making up
her mind, the Old lady said she wanted
II see how some furs would look over a
Nt4Nfl fllshh Ntllltt TWO nuntirffl ana
fifty dollars. John readily gratified her
with dressing up Il lay figure with the
cloak and four hundred dollar act of
fur.- After a little his customer said they
suited her, and asked how much all would
be. John made feint at counting up the
figures, and said it was six hundred and
fifty dollars.
'Yery well; will take them" she
said, and drawing rusty pocket-book
from her petticoat proceeded to count out
the money.
As the bills were mostly fives and tens.
they male n noble pile, and as John took
them from her hand, he held them pur-
pOsely So rs to eNaggcrate their appear
ance and skipped around among the
clerks with great gusto.
-Ncarly seven hundred dollars from
my rural friends" he excited. "No last
year beavers for them, If YOU please, and
the girl IL - sweet rs the roses and pink-
in my mothers garden"
That days sale was n coup d@ 6oahrur
for John Harvey. 1t gave him an i'm
Portance in the eyes of his employers.
VINO increased his salary and placed him
at the head OF his department.
Two years later he woOed and won the
girl sweet - the pinks and roses" who
brought him, beside her sweetness and
beauty, snug little fortune, which
seemed all the better from having been
accumulated where the pinks and roses
bloom. lie then returned to Vermont to
remain with his mother during her re-
manning years, not * clerk in the old
country store, hut as it, owner and pro-
prictor and which il TO-DAY, because of
it, neatness and tasteful ordering, and
abundant furnishing, noted tho country
round as the best store in the State. -
The villagers, too, like Johns wife, he
cause OF her simple and sweet way; and
1t was her aunt-the old lady herself
who told me the story of Johns good
fortune, which all grew out of well di-
rected kindness TO country people.